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James Hansen
Lovelock said that worrying about getting cancer from nuclear radiation is pointless taken in the context of global warming. "We must stop fretting over the minute statistical risks of cancer from chemicals or radiation. Nearly one third of us will die of cancer anyway, mainly because we breathe air laden with that all-pervasive carcinogen, oxygen."
If the choice is between keeping nuclear power facilities running or shutting them down and replacing them with coal-fired power plants, the nuclear option is best for the climate. But, for now, investing in renewable energy and smart-grid technologies is a faster, more cost-effective and safer option than building new nuclear facilities, regardless of type.
Environmentalists have been making a lot of "game over" predictions over the years. Fortunately for us -- and for the fortune tellers themselves, even if it has meant a loss of credibility -- none of them has become reality. Fifty years from now, human ingenuity will have translated into technological advances that are inconceivable today. So, let's stay positive instead of falling prey to the exaggerated nonsense of fear-mongers. We'll have a much better chance to find realistic solutions to the world's problems.
Earlier this week, our Minister for Natural Resources, the Hon. Joe Oliver, went to Washington on what the Canadian media mistakenly insists on calling a "charm offensive." It really cannot be described as having anything to do with "charm" when the minister, fresh from having told La Presse that scientists are less worried about global warming; that 2 degrees is not a big deal, decided to insult one of the USA's most respected scientists, James Hansen. Dr. Hansen is not just someone who used to work at NASA. He was NASA's top climate scientist. Thursday, I found this tribute to him that will give Canadians a sense of his stature south of the border and globally.
The storm that wreaked havoc on Caribbean nations and the U.S. East Coast in late October offers a glimpse into our future. Along with recent heavy rainfall, flooding, heat waves and droughts throughout the world, it's the kind of severe weather event scientists have been telling us to expect as global temperatures rise.
But before supporting the Keystone Pipeline, we need to take a deeper look at whether its practices will really lead to "better days" for working men and women, their families, and their communities. How many jobs will the pipeline really produce?
